Yes Virginia, they are having a Willow Run recall election

Washtenaw County Board of Election Commissioners voted 2-1 to allow the recall election of board President Claudette Braxton, Andy Blakita and Clifford Smith. No date has been set for the recall election date.

According to the Ann Arbor News:

"Election commissioners Darlene O'Brien, who is chief Probate Judge, and Larry Kestenbaum, the Washtenaw County Clerk, voted in favor of the language. Election Commissioner Catherine McClary, who is Washtenaw County treasurer, voted against the proposal."

The Willow Run Board of Education seems to be getting pretty close to violating open meetings rules we think

So now, the Willow Run Board of Education wants to decide what qualifies as 'business' in front of them and are arbitrarily (as we can find no legal opinion that supports their stand) dictating what can be said in an public meeting. The WR Board is now proclaiming that NO personnel issues of any kind can be addressed towards the board and MUST be addressed in private.

What the hell? You can't tell people in public meetings what they can and cannot say. You're holding the meeting, people, and yes school district employees are people, have a RIGHT to use their 1st Amendment rights. Board President Claudette Braxton, nothing if not looking to make up rules about public meetings as she goes claimed "There's a protocol for addressing personnel issues, and those issues should be discussed in private." More like they CAN be discussed in private but to us, public meetings are public meetings.

This sounds to us like the Willow Run Board of Education wants to control the message and not allow hurtful or improper behavior aired in public where they could find themselves uncomfortable and or embarrassed. Board member Sheri Washington seemed to grasp this, why can't the rest?

That's what open meetings are for, we think. Redress of grievances...

Willow Run School Board needs to get it's ducks in a row

Gee, WR School Board, you seem SURPRISED at what's happening in your district. You seem shocked at the animosity brought about by you IMPOSING a contract upon teachers. What did you THINK would happen? America is about freedom and negotitions, it happens in Congress and in business every day. So, by imposing your "Last Best Contract" you set off a chain of events you SHOULD have seen coming yet lacked the foresight to plan for.

If the contract was still being negotiated and was still on the table I'd disagree with teachers dropping out of their extracurricular activites. You cut their pay on this like a king or monarch would do by 20%. Beyond the fact you may have breached the very contract you just IMPOSED, it's bad form. Since this was imposed by the School Board the YCD is all in favor of teachers making decisions on their own about this, apparently is one of the few decisions left they CAN make freely.

School board President Claudette Braxton is claiming ignorance on the contract provisions. You see she's new to the bargaining team. Sorry, XXXXXXXX Wrong answer. If you're going for the high and mighty act you cannot claim ignorance of what you're imposing or negotiating.

YCD also agrees that you cannot pick and choose which pieces in the contract you imposed you want to pull out. Sorry WR School Board, it's all or nothing, it's how contracts work.

If you sign a contract for cell phone service with AT&T and they raise your rates on their whim, you can cancel the contract on it's face WITHOUT paying a dime in penalties. You don't tell AT&T you want to keep this part of the plan you liked and that part you liked while getting rid of this n that. NO, it's either WHOLE or it's VOID.

Come on Willow Run School Board, get with it. Sure times are tough but you can make better choices in how you deal with PEOPLE, people who teach OUR kids.